Is my chick ok?

[danlan]

I have a ~2 week old lavender orpington who has overnight developed a noticeable curve to the right in her neck.

Is this wry neck? Whether or is or not, what should I do? So far I added some nutridrench to the shared waterer.

Additional context:
- this chick is capable of moving her head to the left, but when walking or at rest, will face to the right now (starting today)
- The hatchery said they were vaxxed for mareks
- I've been feeding medicated feed
- bought them 2 weeks ago
- bought 5: this one, a jersey blue, and 3 jersey giants. I think I was sold bad jersey giants as they all died of mysterious causes within a couple days of buying them (they'd be fine walking around and then a couple hrs later, dead).

 

[nuthatched]

Take them off medicated feed and yes, nutridrench is a good idea.
The medication in medicated feed is amprollium, a B vitamin inhibitor. Wry neck is often cause by B deficiency.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

It's good you started them on vitamins. If it is the start of wry neck, that might have helped it from not progressing further. It should get some Vit. E and a smidge of scrambled eggs to provide the selenium. I'd open up a capsule and put a couple of drops in some mash made by just putting some water with crumbles.

It's concerning that you lost the other three, though, and I'm sorry.

They don't seem to look cold or too hot though in the pictures so you must have them at the right temp. I just wonder if there's something that's in the area of where your brooder is or the brooder itself that's giving off something toxic to them. Are those puppy pads you're using scented per chance? And that's pine shavings, not cedar? Just tossing out some obvious ideas for you as I just think there's something else going on.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a ~2 week old lavender orpington who has overnight developed a noticeable curve to the right in her neck.

Is this wry neck? Whether or is or not, what should I do? So far I added some nutridrench to the shared waterer.

Additional context:
- this chick is capable of moving her head to the left, but when walking or at rest, will face to the right now (starting today)
- The hatchery said they were vaxxed for mareks
- I've been feeding medicated feed
- bought them 2 weeks ago
- bought 5: this one, a jersey blue, and 3 jersey giants. I think I was sold bad jersey giants as they all died of mysterious causes within a couple days of buying them (they'd be fine walking around and then a couple hrs later, dead).

I'd start her on vitamin Therapy.

Give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily along with a little egg to help with the uptake of E.

You can find vitamins at Walmart, CVS, etc.


Examples of E and B-Complex

 

[Altairsky]

Stop the medicated feed as soon as you can. Give vitamin b.

 

[danlan]

Thanks all for your help! I've replaced the medicated food with non-medicated and made a paste of the new food with vitamins and selenium. How long should I keep up the extra vitamins (in the food + nutridrench in the water)? Will it help the chick recover -- or simple prevent it from getting worse?

@nuthatched @Altairsky @Wyorp Rock @Debbie292d

 

[Altairsky]

If it's vitamin deficiency, the chich should recover.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've replaced the medicated food with non-medicated and made a paste of the new food with vitamins and selenium. How long should I keep up the extra vitamins (in the food + nutridrench in the water)?

What Selenium? How much are you adding?

The Nutri-Drench in the water isn't really necessary if you are giving her the Vitamins as suggested.

I'd start her on vitamin Therapy.

Give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily along with a little egg to help with the uptake of E.

You can find vitamins at Walmart, CVS, etc.


Examples of E and B-Complex

View attachment 4103234 View attachment 4103235

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks all for your help! I've replaced the medicated food with non-medicated and made a paste of the new food with vitamins and selenium. How long should I keep up the extra vitamins (in the food + nutridrench in the water)? Will it help the chick recover -- or simple prevent it from getting worse?

@nuthatched @Altairsky @Wyorp Rock @Debbie292d

I'd keep it up until it appears fully recovered. It can take weeks, but you should hopefully start seeing gradual improvement.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks all for your help! I've replaced the medicated food with non-medicated and made a paste of the new food with vitamins and selenium. How long should I keep up the extra vitamins (in the food + nutridrench in the water)? Will it help the chick recover -- or simple prevent it from getting worse?

@nuthatched @Altairsky @Wyorp Rock @Debbie292d

Medicated/non-medicated makes no difference. Corid has 10x the amprolium as in the feed, so I worry about that. Lots of us hatch chickens en masse and use it.

I would do what Wyorp suggested, and Rosemary's right. Just keep going, as this could be weeks. It usually works, and then you'll be so happy you did!